The BERKELEY Times Vol. 30 - No. 51
In This Week’s Edition
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Relay For Life Shines Despite The Rain
heroes behind the scenes. Event lead Robyn Griffith said during the opening ceremony that the event brings Berkeley and Lacey together to “support those who are battling cancer and to remember those not with us anymore.” Senator Carmen Amato (R-9th), formerly the mayor of Berkeley, lost his father to cancer more than two decades ago. He spoke about how the work that the volunteers are doing is vitally important to Photo by Chris Lundy families, caregivers, and the Survivors wore purple, designating their fight against cancer. patients themselves. Mayor John Bacchione, whose father also passed from cancer, said By Chris Lundy there were a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, BERKELEY – Despite weather that kept them showing that they are surviving this affliction. on their toes, cancer survivors and their loved “May God continue to walk with you on your ones marched in Veterans Park during the annual path to recovery,” he said. Berkeley-Lacey Relay For Life. Lacey Mayor Peter Curatolo, who is the The relay was a mix of feelings. It was a solCoordinator of the Community Health emn remembrance in a beautiful park. It was a Services Division at Ocean County Health celebration of life with the sounds of kids playDepartment, presented a proclamation from ing baseball nearby. Many wore purple shirts the Township Committee for the Relay. When designating them as cancer survivors. It looked it comes to fighting cancer, he said “let’s not like a field of flowers. say why we can’t but how we can.” The event begins with a survivors’ luncheon Assemblyman Gregory Myhre (R-9th), and from noon until 2 p.m. This is followed by a kick-off ceremony and the first laps. Laps are Berkeley Council members James Byrnes and sometimes themed. The first walk of the relay Michael Signorile also addressed the crowd, is reserved for survivors, for example. There’s as did several cancer survivors. “Legendary also a lap for caregivers - the unseen and unsung (Relay For Life - See Page 4)
June 14, 2025
Seniors Concerned About Dishonest Contractors By Chris Lundy BERKELEY – A perennial issue is scammers and dishonest contractors, but a change in state law years ago takes away one layer of protection. The issue came up at a recent Township Council meeting when Judith Pakay, who lives in one of the senior developments, noted that a few residents are getting taken advantage of by contractors. Since there are no longer permits required for some jobs, she asked to have a way for the town to police it better. Township Attorney Lauren Staiger said that the State Department of Community Affairs removed the ability for towns to get permits for certain work. According to the DCA, in 2018, the state stopped requiring permits to be done on work considered either “maintenance” or “minor.” Examples of maintenance include painting, replacing dishwashers and clothes washers, and gutter replacement or repair. Some of the work considered maintenance comes with rules: deck work as long as the work is not structural; window and door replacement as long as the openings don’t change significantly; plumbing as long as the piping doesn’t change much. Minor work includes such things as installing water fountains, replacing water heaters with similar models, simple electrical work connected to a new appliance. There are also some rules to make some projects minor even though they seem large: elevator repair (Seniors - See Page 4)
Ocean County Salutes Its Cultural Champions
Photo by Stephanie Faughnan “R.K. in Charcoal” by Central Regional High School’s Brooke Baranyay was one of the teen art pieces shown.
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER - The energy in the room was electric for the 2025 “Salute to Ocean County: A Celebration of Arts and Heritage,” a vibrant tribute to the area’s creative spirit, held at Ocean County College. Presented by the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission in collaboration with the college, the annual event recognized more than artistic talent - it celebrated the stories, history, and individuals who help preserve and promote the region’s cultural identity. Elected officials, educators, artists, students, and preservation advocates came together for an evening of awards, performances, and inspiration. Ocean County College President Dr. Pamela Monaco
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acknowledged that in higher education there’s a great deal of emphasis on technology and science, “but it’s the arts and culture that remind us of who we are, where we came from, and reminds us too – of the power of creativity.” The Path Of History Timothy G. Hart, Division Director of the Ocean County Cultural and Heritage Commission, opened the event with a short film tracing the county’s Revolutionary War history. The presentation introduced the ambitious Ocean County Revolutionary War Trail project, which aims to reintroduce the stories of figures like John Bacon (Champions - See Page 5)
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